Westridge Wildcat News

Hello Westridge Community!

It has been a busy and bustling start of the month here at Westridge! Students are enthusiastically coming to school each day with the energy and excitement that often comes with this time of year. We continue to explore our theme of creativity through engaging learning experiences and artistic opportunities. As a reminder, next week we will hold Westridge’s Winter Spirit Week with a different theme each day. Students will have the chance to show off their creativity in a fun new way. Please see the flyer below for more detailed information.

With excitement,

Jules Laaperi

she/her/hers

Principal

December 13-17: Westridge Spirit Week (see below)

December 20-January 2nd: Winter Break (No School)

January 17: No School (Martin Luther King Day)

January 28: No School (Grade Prep)

February 16: Immunization Exclusion day (see info below)

February 21: No School (President's day)

All of our schools are excited to welcome back volunteers into our classrooms beginning in January! Volunteers and special guests are an integral part of our learning community and we look forward to reconnecting through service and support.

To make sure we are able to continue successful in-person instruction, we plan to introduce volunteers gradually to allow us to monitor possible transmission, adjust practices, and provide time to verify district volunteer requirements. As a reminder, volunteering is at the discretion of the classroom teacher. Please connect with them to determine their needs.

Elementary schools will start with kindergarten class volunteers beginning the week of January 10, and add more groups and grade levels in the coming weeks. The Art Literacy committee is organizing materials to launch in February. Please contact your school's Parent Club President or Art Lit Coordinator if you are interested in volunteering -- the program can always use more helping hands!

Volunteers need to verify the following requirements before volunteering in schools:

• Complete Background Check through school Raptor system - if you have not already completed this, bring your driver's license or passport with you on your first day back to register.

• Fill out this form: Sign Statement of Knowledge and Understanding of LOSD Policies - detailed information below.

• Show/Send Proof of Vaccination to Jodi Steward (stewardj@loswego.k12.or.us). LOSD will not be granting exemptions for volunteers due to requirements of weekly testing and distancing.

Statement of Knowledge and Understanding - LOSD District Policies

All contractors, volunteers, and visitors must agree to follow District policies, the most important of which are summarized or referenced below:

• No smoking or other uses of tobacco products, alcoholic beverages or other controlled substances on District property, including parking lots and fields.

• No firearms, fire pits, indoor barbecues, candles, fog machines, balloons or fireworks may be used on School District property.

• Park in designated parking areas only. Violators will be towed at the owner's expense.

• Reporting of Suspected Abuse of a Child JHFE

• Reporting Requirements Regarding Sexual Conduct with Students JHFF

• HPV/Bloodborne Pathogens GBEBAA/JHCCBA/EBBAB

• Educational Equity JBB

• Nondiscrimination Policy AC

• Sexual Harassment GBN/JBA

• Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students JBBA

• Volunteers IICC

The Lost and Found is OVERFLOWING with amazing coats and outerwear items. We would hate to have to donate any of them! The Lost and Found has been rolled into the vestibule (lobby) of the school and will remain there until Winter Break. Feel free to come by anytime between 7:00 and 3:30 to check it out or tell your child to check it anytime. Items will be picked up for donation after school on Friday, December 17th.

Parents, please make sure that students are not arriving to school before 8:00am as we do not have supervision or crossing guards until then. Thank you for helping us keep your children safe!

Dear Westridge Families,

This December, we look forward to investing our time, head, heart and hands on the character trait of C R E A T I V I T Y in our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons, classrooms, and school.

One of the best things about being a human being is our ability to imagine! We get this cool part of our brain that allows us to not just think about survival, but also about sparkly space pigeons or colorful caterpillars or a cardboard box that is secretly a rocket ship. It is that same imagination that makes a sandbox into the moon that is capable of imagining the world’s problems as opportunities for new, bold, innovative solutions. This month, we will be talking about and practicing solving problems, working in teams, and dreaming up new perspectives! The only way we change the negative normals in our world is to have the Courage and Creativity to think differently and exercise our imagination to help make the world better!

The definition students will be learning this month is Creativity: Using your imagination to create something or solve a problem.

Here are links for extension activities to explore CREATIVITY further as a family:

K-2 Creativity Family Letter (English) 3-5 Creativity Family Letter (English)

K-2 Creatividad para Familias (En Español) 3-5 Creatividad para Familias (En Español)

Sincerely,

Mr. Kieser

Westridge School Counselor

kieserg@loswego.k12.or.us

Westridge Elementary is partnering with the Department of Human Services to help provide gifts to children in foster care. Each donated gift will be given directly to a child who is displaced from their family this year during the holiday season.

On any given day there are over 8,000 children in foster care in Oregon. These children are separated from their parents due to abuse or neglect and placed in foster homes, group homes or other settings. Holidays are an especially difficult time for children to be away from their families.

Starting December 1, 2021, there will be barrels in the Westridge lobby to collect new and unwrapped gifts to donate to a child in need.

Need gift ideas?

Age 0-2: Sensory toys, learning toys, blocks

Age 3-5: Creative play, playdough, puzzles, books

Age 6-7: Scooters, crafting supplies, sporting goods, books

Age 8-9: Legos, games, art supplies, books

Age 10-12: Slime sets, science kits, electronic games

Age 13-15: Wireless earbuds, gift cards, LED lights

Age 16+: Wireless speakers, gift cards, headphones, cosmetics

Anything you would purchase for your own children would make a great gift for a foster child.

In order to provide some clarity of the role and some of the responsibilities of our School Resource Officers, Officer Euscher and Officer Sheldon, please click here

We understand that sometimes parents need to pick their children up early from school, especially with holidays and winter break coming up. In order to make sure that your teacher and the office are informed of your plans, please try your best to follow this protocol when you need to pick up your child:

• Please email your child's' teacher and the office the day of, so that they know that the student will be leaving early.
• When you're on your way to the school to pick up your child please call the office and let us know you're on your way. We will call down to the classroom and have your child start packing up. There is no need to let the office know via email days in advance.
• Please come to the office to pick up your child. Do not go to the classroom door.

Thank you!

Office Phone number: 503-534-2371

Office email addressses: murphya@loswego.k12.or.us OR stewardj@loswego.k12.or.us

February 16, 2022 is exclusion day for students that are not up to date with their required immunizations. If you have any questions about your child's immunizations, please contact Andrea Murphy at murphya@loswego.k12.or.us

For a list of required immunizations please visit our Nurses website here

If your child will be absent, please email your student's teacher and copy the office at murphya@loswego.k12.or.us. Please list the date your child will be absent and any illness symptoms.

If you need to pick your child up early from school, please let the teacher and the office know ahead of time.

Every year, Oregon students take assessments to meet federal requirements. The purpose of these assessments is to provide data that schools can use to ensure each and every child is on track and achieving learning goals.

State law requires us to inform you that a form is available from the State Department of Education that allows you to opt your child out of the math and English Language Arts assessments for the current school year. Should you wish to opt out your child, fill out the form and submit it to the main office at your child’s school. Please note the submission deadlines listed on the form. Meeting the deadline will help the school with planning and preparation. If you wish your child not to participate in the science assessment for grades 5, 8, and 11, submit this request in writing to the principal of your child's school.

If you have questions or want more information about state assessments, please contact your child’s principal or teacher(s).

Click here for opt-out form for Math and English Language Arts.

All members of our community are committed to providing a safe and inclusive learning environment that cultivates empathy, creates challenging opportunities, and fosters lifelong learning.

Email: laaperij@loswego.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.losdschools.org/wr
Location: 3400 Royce Way, Lake Oswego, OR, USA
Phone: 5035342371